Valve

ABSTRACT

A spring mounted valve having a dispensing arm is provided wherein the arm is hollow and serves both as an outlet for the valve and as a control arm for the valve. A spring actuated plunger serves both as a shut off mechanism for the valve and as a spring to return the valve to the closed position. The valve is particularly adapted for dispensing glue in a box making operation.

l United States Patent 1 1 53,633 Striplin 1451 Apr. 4, 1972 54] VALVE 1,499,446 7/1924 Code .251/354 x 2,215,491 9/1940 Zie er... ...25l/354 X [72] Inventor: Charles D. Striphn, Box 515, Benica, 2,595,856 5/1952 i l I I 251/354 Cahf- 94510 2,618,458 11/1952 Fosbender. ....251/33s.1 x 22 Filed; July 14 1970 2,757,688 8/1956 Klingler ..25l/335.l X PP .1 54,744 Primary Examiner-Samuel Scott Attorney-Eckhoff and Hoppe [52] U.S.Cl ..251/354 [511 1111.0 ..Fl6k 31/524 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search ..251/354 A spring mounted valve having a dispensing arm is provided wherein the arm is hollow and serves both as an outlet for the 5 References Cited valve and as a control arm for the valve. A spring actuated plunger serves both as a shut off mechanism for the valve and UNITED STATES PATENTS as a spring to return the valve to the closed position. The valve t' l d d f d' l b k' 3,198,210 8/1965 Lewis ..251/354x 3 5352;? a apte spensmg gue-m a ox ma mg 396,891 l/l889 Peter 680,447 8/1901 Sweden ..251/354 X 1Claim,4Drawing Figures VALVE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a valve particularly suitable for use in dispensing hot glue although it may be used for dispensing any fluid. The valve has a hollow discharge arm which turns the valve stem against a spring actuated piston. The valve stem has a flat surface thereon with a hole in the center of the flat surface so that as the valve body turns, the piston is unseated from the hole, allowing liquid to flow around the piston through the hole and out through the valve stem and the dispensing arm. A single spring is used which serves both to keep the valve centered, i.e., normally closed, and also to press the piston against the flat valve stem sealing the discharge opening. The hollow elongated arm of the valve provides the passage for the fluid and also acts as the control mechanism for the valve.

The valve can be placed over the path of travel of a piece of cardboard or the like in a box making operation and as the board passes under the valve, it presses against the arm, allowing liquid to flow out through the opening depositing a line of glue on the board. As soon as the board passes beyond the valve arm, the valve stem automatically returns to the off position so that no glue is dispensed unless an article is under the discharge arm.

One of the particular features of the present invention is that it consists essentially of only two moving parts which are held together merely by the spring action and without the use of bolts or other forms of screws. Therefore, the valve is extremely simple to disassemble, clean and reassemble. Also, since there are only two moving parts, the valve is inespensive, long lasting and there is little to get out of order.

Various other features of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gluing apparatus showing the valve of the present invention in place thereon with certain of the parts cut away for clarity.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the valve in an open position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing by reference characters, the valve of the present invention is generally designated 5 and is shown mounted outside of a double-walled glue tank 7. Mounted above valve 5 is an auxiliary pressurizing device 9 and a check valve arrangement 11 but it will be understood that this particular environment is shown merely to illustrate a typical application of the valve and that the valve of the present invention is operative under any conditions wherein a fluid under pressure is applied at the inlet thereof. Suffice it to say that the pressurizing device generally designated 9 in this instance consists of a plunger actuated by a motor 13 by means of a control circuit, not illustrated which is timed with the passage of a board 15 under the arm of the valve.

The valve itself has a valve body 17 having a first cylindrical passage 19 which leads to a source of fluid under pressure which, in the case illustrated, is the outlet passage 21 of the check valve 11. Passage 19 does not go completely through the valve body, thus forming a well. At right angles to the passage 19 is a second cylindrical passage 23 of somewhat smaller diameter. This may or may not extend completely 35 to the outer extremity of the arm 33,

Mounted within the passage 19 and m sliding relationship is a piston 39, normally urged upwardly by a spring 41. Mounted in the piston is a tough resilient material, such as Teflon, the

insert having a central body portion 43 and preferably having a central protruding semi-spherical section 45, the latter having a diameter somewhat greater than that of the passage 37.

Openings 47 are provided so that actuation of the piston will not be prevented by liquid being trapped thereunder.

'The operation of the valve can best be seen with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the spring 41 urges the piston 39 upwardly, causing the semispherical section 45 to seal the passage 37. The spring also holds the valve closed by its cam action.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a board, such as corrugated cardboard 15 has passed under the arm 33, pushing it to one side. This causes the stem 25 to rock, freeing the passage 37 from the section 45, allowing liquid to flow from the chamber 19 into the passage 35 then out through the passages 29 and 31. As soon as the board has passed, the spring action, previously referred to, will return the valve to the position shown in FIG. 3, closing it.

One particular feature of the present invention is that the valve is held together completely without any threaded members so that it can be disassembled for cleaning and reassembled substantially without the use of tools. This is particularly important in a valve which may be used with glue or other viscous materials which would make the use of threaded members impractical. Thus, to disassemble the valve, one need only to press downward on the piston 39 and the stem can be withdrawn followed by the piston and spring. To reassemble, press down on the piston, insert the stem and then release the piston. It will be seen that the piston 39 extends upwardly into the space formed by the flat 35 so that the shoulders 36 retain the parts in the assembled relationship.

It is believed apparent that a very simple self-closing valve has been provided and one which is easy to assemble and disassemble.

I claim:

1. A valve of the self-closing type comprising in combination:

a. a valve body having a cylindrical opening therein,

b. means for applying a fluid under pressure to said cylindrical opening,

c. a second cylindrical opening at right angles to and intersecting said first cylindrical opening in said valve body,

a rotatable valve stem in said second cylindrical opening,

said valve stem having a central flattened section and a passage having an outlet extending to said flattened section on said valve stem,

e. a piston in said first opening, said piston having a semispherical gasket material forming at least one end thereof,

f. spring means urging said piston against the opening in said valve stem whereby said piston directly seals said opening in the valve stem when the valve stem is in a first position and wherein the valve stem can be rotated to either side to open said passage and permit fluid to flow through the passage. 

1. A valve of the self-closing type comprising in combination: a. a valve body having a cylindrical opening therein, b. means for applying a fluid under pressure to said cylindrical opening, c. a second cylindrical opening at right angles to and intersecting said first cylindrical opening in said valve body, d. a rotatable valve stem in said second cylindrical opening, said valve stem having a central flattened section and a passage having an outlet extending to said flattened section on said valve stem, e. a piston in said first opening, said piston having a semispherical gasket material forming at least one end thereof, f. spring means urging said piston against the opening in said valve stem whereby said piston directly seals said opening in the valve stem when the valve stem is in a first position and wherein the valve stem can be rotated to either side to open said passage And permit fluid to flow through the passage. 